Nice to meet Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur who was out this evening supporting West Island Citizen Advovacy as a guest at WICA's wine-tasting gala. WICA fulfills a vital role by providing vulnerable community members with regular and dependable assistance as well as a voice when they need it. Congratulations to retiring executive director Mary Clare Tangay whose deep passion for, and commitment to, WICA and its mission have been synonimous with the spirit of West Island solidarity. Welcome to incoming executive director Marie Fournier who takes over leadership of the organization.

Impressed and inspired: this is always how I feel when I leave the Lester B. Pearson School Board's annual Adult Learners' Week awards ceremony. "It's about believing you can do it and then doing it." (The words of Steve Balleine, Assistant Director General for the Board's adult learning program.) Thanks to Ronnie Marin and Barry Gaiptman for organizing and emceeing such a wonderful event.

We're so fortunate on the West Island to have people like Debbie Magwood who build the institutions that help people in time of need, in this case those battling cancer. I was honoured to be invited today to take part in a sod-turning ceremony for the new building to soon house an expanded West Island Cancer Wellness Centre. The WICWC is a key pillar in the cluster of local organizations that act as a bulwark against this terrible disease. With today's announcement, our community is that much stronger.
Quel honneur de me joindre à Debbie Magwood, visionnaire et bâtisseuse communautaire, au maire de Kirkland, Michel Gibson, et son conseil, et aux généreux donateurs qui ont rendu possible le rêve de construire un nouvel emplacement pour le Centre de bien-être de l'Ouest-de-l'Î'e pour les personnes atteintes de cancer qui connaît une expansion rapide en vertu de la demande croissante pour ses services.

March

Many congratulations to Lucy Piotrowski Baum for her great work with Breadbasket Lac-Saint-Louis, taking the oganization from its very beginnings as a pilot initiative of the St-Columba-by-the-Lake Presbyterian Church and establishing it as a permanent and dynamic community kitchen that promotes food security in Montreal's West Island. A warm welcome to Valérie Toupin-Dubé who takes over as executive director as Lucy brings her community experience to Literacy Unlimited as its incoming executive director.
Merci à Lucy Piotrowski Baum pour sa vision et son travail acharné qui a pu faire de Corbeille de pain Lac-Saint-Louis une cuisine communautaire maintenant bien enraciné qui contribue à la sécurité alimentaire dans l'Ouest-de-l'Ile de Montréal. Bienvenue à Valérie Toupin-Dubé qui prendra maintenant les rênes de l'organisme. Bonne chance à Lucy qui prendra le leadership de Alphabétisation sans limites.

Great to welcome federal agriculture minister The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay and his parliamentary secretary Jean-Claude Poissant to Lac-Saint-Louis riding this morning to announce the extension of funding for the Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program. Congratulations to Dr. Chandra Madramootoo for his leadership on vital research in this area, namely in reference to the project to study the effects of agricultural water management systems on greenhouse gas emissions in eastern Canada.

So nice to meet John Abbott College student Karine Pelletier at this evening's Forum for Young Canadians reception. So wonderful of the Prime Minister to drop by to speak to the students and inspire them to achieve great things.

Enjoyed welcoming Thierry Neubert's Honours Social Science students from John Abbott College to Parliament Hill to learn about the 2016 Budget. Thank you to François-Philippe Champagne for taking the time to discuss his role in the budgeting process with the students.

Ending a great weekend on a musical high note in Montreal's West Island. Attending a concert by the JIREH Gospel Choir at this year's edition of the Festival de la Voix. Sure to be inspiring and uplifting. A big thank you to Kerry-Anne Kutz, founder of the festival that is fast becoming a tradition and staple of Montreal's, and the West Island's, cultural life. Congrats to the John Rennie High School Jazz Band and the William Aberhart Concert Choir from Calgay (under the direction of former West Islander Erica Phare), also on this exciting bill.

Thank you to the Beaconsfield Toastmasters Club for inviting me to celebrate the club's 1,000th meeting in this its 21st year! These milestones are testimony to the vision and energy of founders Mike De Castris and Bill Butcher. It was a great pleasure to take active part in tonight's meeting. Wishing the club another (minimum) 1,000 evenings of friendship, public speaking excellence and entertaining repartee.

Nice to meet participants from the Forum for Young Canadians tonight in Ottawa. The week-long Forum allows our youth to increase their knowledge of Canada and our system of democratic governance by visiting Parliament Hill and other government institutions and by discussing important public policy issues with other youth from every region of the country.

February

Very nice to get to meet BHS student, Kirkland resident and Encounters with Canada participant, Harrison Kirshner, in the government lobby of the House of Commons today. Harrison is in Ottawa to learn about government and law with other young Canadians from across the country. Thanks for dropping by, Harrison. Good luck with your studies, and congrats on your keen interest in the business of Parliament and the affairs of our nation.

We are so very fortunate in the West of Island of Montreal to be the home of the West Island Palliative Care Residence, a leader in this specialized, patient-centred form of care that is still not as widely available as it should be. So very proud that Canada's largest hospice--a remarkably innovative centre of excellence--is located in the federal riding of Lac-Saint-Louis. So pleased to be among a great many others in the community who are celebrating and supporting the centre and its mission this evening. Thank you to groundbreaker T.C. Dellar and her dedicated team.
Quel honneur d'assister ce soir au bal annuel de la Résidence des soins palliatifs de l'Ouest-de-l'Île. Bravo à T.C. Dellar et son équipe pour une mise en scène magnifique encore une fois cette année !

Really enjoyed participating this evening on the panel organized by the Canadian Water Network's Student and Young Professionals Committee and held at McGill University. Honoured to take part in a discussion on wasterwater issues with other panelists Polytechnique professor Sarah Dorner, McGill professor Viviane Yergeau, and Richard Fontaine, director of Montreal wastewater facility in Rivière-des-Prairies. Congratulations to Caroline Di Tommaso for putting on a well-attended and successful event aroung the vital topic of water. Great questions from those in attendance.
Bravo, Caroline Di Tommaso, pour avoir si bien organisé une soirée extrêmement interessante sur un sujet qui attire davantage l'attention du public et des élus : la saine gestion de l'eau !

Congratulations to Francesca Corso and her energetic team at Big Brothers and Sisters West Island on another successful fundraising breakfast at Jack Astor's in Dorval. Great to see so many West Islanders like Heather MacKay and Linda Thompson in attendance to support this wonderful organization that makes such a difference.

Yesterday, I had the honour, with fellow M.P.s Angelo Iacono and Peter Shiefke, of welcoming Syrian refugees who had just arrived in Dorval following a 12-hour flight from Jordan. One family had been in a camp for at least three years, and was on its way to settle in Hamilton. Although exhausted from the trip, the young man in the family was already curious about educational opportunities in his adoptive city. We told him about McMaster University and I called up a photo of the campus on my Blackberry. One can tell already that these new Canadians are determined to work hard to contribute to our nation's growth, development and full potential.

It was wonderful to get together with good friends at tonight's Beaconsfield-Kirkland Ringuette Association Tournament cocktail. This year's tourney is the biggest ever: 90 teams, including a team from as far away as Saskatchewan. Congrats to Jeff Liddell, Dean Provencher, Marc Desparois and all the other parent-volunteers who help make this exciting sport so popular and successful on the West Island. Great to see Mary Dellar, Tony De Felice, Joanne De Felice, Peter and Brenda McCusker, Rammie and Mary Kamal, Liliane Brunetti, Steve Burns, Chris Kane, and so many others in attendance.

November

Such an honour to be sworn in as Member of the 42nd Parliament for the riding of Lac-Saint-Louis
Quelle honneur d’avoir été assermenté comme député du 42ième Parlement pour la circonscription de Lac-Saint-Louis.

Take part in the campaign by showing your support with a lawn sign!
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Simply call 514.370.5114 or email info@scarpaleggia2015.ca and one of our campaign team members will deliver a sign to your home.
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Get involved and be part of the action! Join the Liberal team in Lac-Saint-Louis.
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If you have even the smallest amount of free time and believe it’s time to elect a new government in Ottawa, email info@scarpaleggia2015.ca or call (438) 828-5427.

Get involved and be part of the action! Join the Liberal team in Lac-Saint-Louis.
We have a wonderful and growing team of volunteers and welcome all who want to share in the experience of being part of a dynamic political campaign.
If you have even the smallest amount of free time and believe it’s time to elect a new government in Ottawa, email info@scarpaleggia2015.ca or call (438) 828-5427.